Olivia Culpo reveals the postpartum care every new mom deserves

Every new mom dreams of being cared for in those fragile, early days: someone to bring meals to bed, hold the baby so you can rest, remind you that you’re not alone. That kind of support is often missing, which is why one video has struck such a deep chord.

Olivia Culpo, 33, shared a glimpse of that care after welcoming her daughter, Colette Annalise, on July 13, 2025. In her now-viral Instagram Reel, Culpo’s mom appears tending to the newborn and showing up for her daughter with nourishing trays of food, champagne by her bedside, and even a violin serenade. 

The former Miss Universe, who is married to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, 29, posted the clip just over four weeks postpartum. It has already brought millions of women to tears, with nearly 10 million views in under 48 hours.

Culpo captioned the moment simply: “I can only hope to be as good as her 🥹” (@oliviaculpo).

In an interview with People, Culpo admitted just how much she has leaned on her mom during this transition. “I feel like I have a lot of respect for my mom … one thing that I realized through this experience of becoming a mom is actually how much I’ve needed my mom, which I didn’t anticipate,” she said. “It’s just an ironic thought that you need your mom the most when you’re about to become a mom. That’s just genuinely how I felt.”

Moms are flooding the comments with tears and longing

Mothers poured out raw emotion, reflecting on what they had, what they lost, or what they still long for.

• “You are rich in the way that matters ❤️” (@irenesarah)
  
• “This makes me want to cry! Mama taking care of her baby! And her baby’s baby!” (@lauren_kawa)
  
• “For those of us who didn’t have our mother’s postpartum — we rejoice for you! This is truly the biggest blessing in life ❤️” (@touchoftallow)
  
• “I lost my mom 6 months before conception… it’s so hard doing it alone.” (@desireediamante)
  
• “The mom I wish to be for my kids… because it’s the kind of mother I didn’t get to have postpartum.” (@kaaydaddy)
  

For many, the video sparked joy — for others, grief. Not everyone has a supportive parent or family to lean on, and that absence can weigh heavily in the early days of motherhood.

And the truth is, those mothers are far from rare. As Motherly has reported, 1 in 6 moms with a child under three say they received no support outside of their partner. Even among those who did get help, 42% said it wasn’t enough. A recent survey of over 1,000 parents found that about two-thirds (66%) sometimes or often feel lonely due to parenting. Similarly, 62% reported, as per, Parents, feeling burned out by their parental responsibilities, and 38% said they lack adequate support in their role as a parent. And while two-thirds long for intergenerational help, only 14% actually live near family.

Olivia’s reel may look like a luxury, but for millions of women, it’s a mirror of what’s missing.

Cultures around the world know: mothers need to be mothered

Traditions like “Omugwo,” Asian confinement, or Latin “cuarentena” highlight that postpartum care is a timeless human need.

But in the U.S., the cultural script is different. Our society still glamorizes maternal martyrdom, reinforcing the message that needing help is weakness. Nearly two-thirds of parents say the first three months are when they need help most, yet too many never receive it. Hispanic mothers are especially likely to struggle asking for support; three in four report difficulty voicing their needs.

This disconnect between willingness and action is stark: while 90% of Americans say they’re willing to help a new parent, most mothers don’t feel able to ask. And unless a “village” knows what postpartum really looks like, they may never offer.

The research is clear: support changes everything

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1 in 8 mothers in the U.S. experience depressive symptoms after birth, with even higher rates among those facing social or economic challenges.

New data from the CDC shows that postpartum depression can persist well beyond the newborn stage. Nearly 7% of mothers reported depressive symptoms 9–10 months after delivery, and more than half of them had shown no earlier signs — a reminder that these struggles don’t always surface right away.

Support makes a measurable difference. An NIH-funded U.S. study, published in Archives of Women’s Mental Health, found that mothers who lost support during the COVID-19 pandemic were far more likely to report depression, anxiety, and disrupted bonding, while emotional support alone was linked to better outcomes.

And according to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, maternal mental health disorders — including postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, and psychosis — are now the most common complication of childbirth in the U.S., affecting 1 in 5 mothers.

A reminder for every mom — especially if you lacked support

Olivia Culpo’s reel captures a universal truth about what mothers crave. It’s a model of the kind of support that can change a mother’s entire experience of postpartum.

And if you didn’t have this kind of support, you are not alone. Many mothers are creating that circle of care in different ways — through partners, friends, doulas, and even by vowing to be this kind of presence for their own daughters one day.

Because the truth is clear: the way Olivia Culpo’s mom cared for her postpartum is what every new mom deserves, and when that care doesn’t come from family, it can be built through community.

Sources: 

1. Guidance on postpartum depression and where to find care. 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidance on postpartum depression and where to find care. 
2. Timing of Postpartum Depressive Symptoms. 2023. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Timing of Postpartum Depressive Symptoms.
3. Vital Signs: Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Provider Discussions About Perinatal Depression. 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Provider Discussions About Perinatal Depression.